Budget & finances
Comparing raw dollar totals between councils isn't very useful — bigger councils naturally have bigger numbers. What does tell you about a council's financial health are normalised indicators: the standard ratios that every NSW council reports against the Office of Local Government's benchmarks, plus per-property figures you can compare to the NSW average. The ratios below are from the NSW Government's 'Your Council' / OLG time-series data for 2023–24. (The OLG classifies Upper Lachlan as a Large Rural council, so it is benchmarked at under 10% for rates outstanding; metropolitan councils are held to under 5%.)
New to these terms? Read them in plain English
- Operating performance ratio
- Whether everyday income covers everyday running costs.
- Own-source operating revenue ratio
- How much of the council's income it raises itself vs. grants from other governments.
- Unrestricted current ratio
- Whether the council has enough spare cash to pay its short-term bills.
- Debt service cover ratio
- How comfortably operating cash covers the council's loan repayments.
- Rates & annual charges outstanding ratio
- The share of rates bills that haven't been paid by year-end.
- Cash expense cover ratio
- How many months the council could keep paying bills if income stopped.
- Infrastructure backlog ratio
- The cost of fixing run-down assets, as a share of what those assets are worth.
- Asset maintenance ratio
- Whether the council actually spends what it should on maintaining its assets.
- Building & infrastructure renewals ratio
- Whether assets are being renewed as fast as they wear out.
- Operating result (surplus / deficit)
- Income minus expenses for the year's normal operations.
- OLG benchmark
- The healthy target set by the state for each financial ratio.
- Average residential rate
- The typical yearly general-rates bill for a home in the area.
- Office of Local Government (OLG)
- The NSW body overseeing councils; publishes the financial data.
The numbers
- $636 / yearAbout 47% below the NSW council average of ~$1,203 (2023–24 was $605, vs NSW ~$1,140). A separate domestic waste charge applies (OLG average $482 in 2024–25). (OLG time-series data.)
- Operating performance ratio −1.6%Below the >0% benchmark — an operating deficit. The council's own Operational Plan projects a consolidated operating deficit before capital grants of $2.36 million for 2026–27.
- Liquidity & cash
- Unrestricted current ratio 2.49× and debt service cover 10.46× (both pass); 10.7 months cash cover (passes)All three liquidity and debt measures are on the benchmark side of the line for 2023–24.
- Self-funding
- Own-source revenue 43.5% (misses)Below the >60% benchmark — a large share of income comes from grants and contributions rather than rates and charges. This is common for councils with a small rate base spread over a very large road network.
- Infrastructure
- Backlog 7.7% misses (2023–24); asset maintenance 110.0% and renewals 171.3% both passThe OLG's 2024–25 time-series shows backlog 8.4%, asset maintenance 122.8% and renewals 87.7% — we show both years rather than picking one.
- 4.4%Well below the under-10% benchmark that applies to rural councils.
- Capital works program (2026–27)
- $17.07 millionCouncil's adopted Operational Plan program, covering plant and fleet, roads and bridges, waste facilities, water supply and sewer infrastructure.
| Indicator (2023–24) | Upper Lachlan | Meets? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| −1.6% | > 0% | No | |
| 43.5% | > 60% | No | |
| 2.49× | > 1.5× | Yes | |
| 10.46× | > 2× | Yes | |
| 4.4% | < 10% | Yes | |
| 10.7 months | > 3 months | Yes | |
| 7.7% | < 2% | No | |
| 110.0% | > 100% | Yes | |
| 171.3% | > 100% | Yes |
Upper Lachlan's financial-health indicators, 2023–24, against the NSW Office of Local Government benchmarks. 'Meets?' simply states whether the figure is on the benchmark side of the line. Source: NSW Government 'Your Council' / OLG time-series data, 2023–24.
These ratios are the standard, size-independent way to read a council's finances, which is why we use them instead of raw dollar totals. Upper Lachlan met 6 of the 9 benchmarks in 2023–24. The three misses sit together: an operating deficit, own-source revenue well under the 60% mark, and an infrastructure backlog above the 2% benchmark — the pattern of a small rate base (about 2,471 residential and 2,799 farmland assessments in 2026–27) funding roads and bridges across 7,127 km². Council commissioned an independent financial sustainability review from AEC Group in 2023 and consulted on special-rate-variation options; after that consultation councillors discontinued the SRV process on 5 November 2023 and did not apply to IPART. We present the numbers and their benchmarks; whether that's good value is for you to judge from the sources below.
Sources — check it yourself
- Office of Local Government — Time-Series Data 2023–24 (all NSW councils, benchmark ratios) · 2023–24
- Office of Local Government — Time-Series Data 2024–25 (infrastructure ratios update) · 2024–25
- Upper Lachlan Shire Council — Operational Plan 2026–2027 · Adopted 18 Jun 2026
- Upper Lachlan Shire Council — Audited Financial Statements 2024–25 · 2024–25
- Upper Lachlan Shire Council — Special Rate Variation (AEC Group financial sustainability review; SRV discontinued 5 Nov 2023) · Nov 2023
Figures are current as at the dates shown and may change — always confirm with the linked source. See the notice at the bottom of the page for full details and how to report a correction.